Thursday, May 26, 2011

U.S. cable network VH1 has greenlit new autumn seasons of factual series Mob Wives (pictured) and Love & Hip Hop, and is bringing back its Pop Up Video series after a 10-year hiatus.

The second season orders come after Mob Wives averaged 1.3 million total viewers for its premiere episodes during its first five weeks on the air, while Love & Hip Hop averaged more than a million viewers per premiere episode, according to the network.
The former, which looks at women struggling to raise families while their husbands and fathers do time for alleged mob-related activities, will return for 12 new episodes. The latter looks at women connected to the world of hip-hop, and gets 10 new hour-long installments.
“Both Mob Wives and Love & Hip Hop are smash hits for VH1, generating strong buzz and viewership for months now,” said Jeff Olde, executive VP of original programming and production at VH1. “Our viewers have connected passionately with these women and their unique, authentic stories in the realms of pop culture and music.”
The network is also bringing back Pop Up Video, one of its most iconic series, after 10 years. The network has ordered 60 episodes of the format featuring current videos, some new graphics and the pop-up “bubbles” containing details and insights.
The series will also integrate interactive elements including user polling and user-generated pop-up content that will be reflected in the show. New popped music videos will also be available for viewing and sharing on VH1.com as they air on TV.
“Pop Up Video has stood the test of time, ranking as one of the most iconic series in recent television history,” said VH1 president Tom Calderone. “For years, people have practically begged, ‘Please bring back Pop Up Video’ – it’s a show and format that now evokes nostalgia for VH1′s young adult audience.”